RSSF Africa
The first regional forum of the 2023–2025 triennium was held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 17–19 May 2023. A highlight of the Forum was the designation of the ISSA Good Practice Award and the first ever ISSA Special Distinction for Innovation.
- 500 participants
- 128 institutions
- 51 countries
With more than 500 registered participants, the Regional Social Security Forum for Africa (RSSF Africa) was an important milestone. Framed by the new ISSA report Social security developments and trends – Africa 2023, the Regional Forum addressed key issues linked to the topical priorities of the ISSA for the 2023–2025 triennium.
In Africa, expanding social security is a crucial issue, as only around one in four have health care coverage or old-age benefits.
At the same time the report demonstrates that in many countries, both governments and social security institutions have made important steps to accelerate the extension of social protection coverage in recent years.
The Regional Forum gave the opportunity to highlight a number of good practices in this area, including the winner of the ISSA Good Practice Award for Africa 2023. The Department of Social Development in South Africa won the award for The Child Support Grant, and its role in the gradual extension of social security coverage to vulnerable children.
RSSF Africa focussed on transformation, innovation and leadership for a better social security. A combination of plenary and smaller interactive sessions gave the opportunity to present and discuss a rich variety of good practices from ISSA member institutions, summed up in key success factors for excellence and innovation in social security. The first ever ISSA Special Distinction for Innovation was awarded to the National Social Insurance Fund for Employees (Caisse nationale des assurances sociales des travailleurs salaries – CNAS) for its work on Electronic medical records.
The Regional Social Security Summit was a highlight of the Forum, bringing together government and high-level representatives from Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Guinea, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, the African Union (AU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Summit was organized in partnership with the African Union and focussed on strategies to achieve Universal Social Protection in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
The first ever ISSA Special Distinction for Innovation was awarded during RSSF Africa. This new distinction is part of the ISSA Good Practice Award competitions 2023–2025.
Winner: National Social Insurance Fund for Employees, Algeria
Good Practice: Electronic medical records
The competition for the ISSA Good Practice Award for Africa 2023 received a recording-breaking 138 entries from 46 organizations in 30 countries.
Winner: Department of Social Development, South Africa
Good Practice: Gradual extension of social security coverage to vulnerable children: The Child Support Grant in South Africa
Certificates of Excellence were awarded to five social security institutions from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco and Zambia. The certificates are awarded under the ISSA Recognition programme and represent international certification for the successful implementation of a set of ISSA Guidelines on Social Security Administration.
